Fire extinguisher



Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs 1,54s,151 PATENT lOFFICE.

PETER. G. MAOGREGO'R, OF' NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO PYBENE MANUFAGTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWABEJ 'Fran nxrmeursnnn.

Application led October 15, 1918. Serial No. 795,258.

To all Iwhom z't may comem:

Be it known that PETER G. MCGREGOR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city, county, and State of New York, has invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Fire Extinguishers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a hand fire extinguisher of the'type in which a gas 'is kept under pressure in a `suitable container and released when it is desired to operate the fire. extinguisher. The gas when released exertsa pressure upon the fire extinguishing liquid and forces the same out through a peculiar system of valves, all of which will be described more fully hereinafter in connection with the description of the invention as illustrated in the accomp-anying drawing.

The figure is a Sectional side elevation of a fire extinguisher embodying the invention.

A container or receptacle 1, preferably cylindrical in form, contains the fire extinguishing fluid. The receptacle 1 is plrovided at its upper end with a, removable which is recessed to receive the small container .3 which'holds 'a compressedgas which acts as an expelling fluid for the fire extinguishing fluid.` The container 3 is closed at its upper end by a plug or sto per 4 which is positioned so as to be engage by the lower end of ahand screw 5 threaded through a tapped opening in the handle communicating `with the recess which receivesthe container 3.

The lower end of the gas container 3 rests upon a support 4, which is attached to the up r end of the receptacle 1.

X 'centrally mounted shaft' 6 is positioned in the receptacle 1, the same'being hollow for a portion ofits length to provide a separate chamber within the receptacle Which communicates with a discharge port or open-V ing7 extending through the lower end of the receptaclel 1 and controlled by a Valve 8.

ASaid discharge port 7 and Valve 8 form a discharge means Which is adapted to direct the fire-extinguishing fluid in an unobstructed Q trajectory away from said receptacle.

A tubular member 9.oontains the Valve mechanism and is supported upon the shaft 6 by meanspf the end members 10 and 11 and the central member 12 so as to be freely revolved about the shaft 6 by the action of gravity and, consequently, will always occupy a position at t e lower side of the inteandlc 2 f stems 17 and 18fland the tubular member 19 so that the'same operate together, one being open when the other is closed, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawing. The Valve members 15 and 16 operate in conjunction with suitable seats within the member 19 to control communication between the ports or openings 13 and 14- and the discharge port 7.

A closed tubular chamber of glass 20, partially filled with mercury, is positioned in the tubular member 19. This rovides a movable weight, the purpose of this construction being to accelerate the action and to rovide for a quick opening and closing o the Valve members 15 and 16, rendering the operation thereof positive, as the extinguisher is tilted from one position to another. The additional weight also assists in revolving the Valve mechanism about the shaft. A

The central supporting member 12 is provided with an opening communicating with the interior of the tubular member 9 and Van annular recess surrounding the shaft 6. An opening in one side of the shaft 6 provides a communication from this recess to the opening on the interior of the shaft and from thence to the outlet controlled by the Valve 8.

VVhe-n it is desired to operate the fire extinguisher, the hand screw 5 is turned, forcing the inner end of the same against the plug 4 in the gas container 3, thus opening the same and allowing the compressed gas to escape therefrom. The recess'in. the handle 2 is somewhat larger than the gas container -3 and allows the gasto pass into'th'eA interior' of the receptacle 1, thus exerti 0' a pressure upon the surface of the fire extinguishing liquid therein to forcibly eject said; liquid through the discharge means. i

Assumingthe device to stand in the position shown, or tilted to one side or the other, the valve mechanism will occupy the position shown in the drawing. In this position the Valve 15 is closed and the' Valve 16 is open, allowing the liquid in the lower portion of the receptacle 1 to enter the tubular member 9 through the opening 14, past the Valve 16, through the recess in' the central support 12 into the tubular shaft 6, through the opening 7, and, When the Valve 8 is open, is forced out and directed upon the fire. A v

Should the device be inverted in position 'the mercury in the tube flowing to the opposite. end gives an impact or blow which causes the Valve 16 to close and the Valve 15' to open. The liquid, which is now in the opposite end of the receptacle I1, enter-s the tubular member 9 through the opening 13 and flows through the o-pen valve 15 in the manner just described.

l't will thus be seen that, regardless of the position of the device, the Valve mechanism will automatically position itself so as to take the liquid from the lowest portion of the 'receptacle and thus insure substantially all of the liquid being forced, out. The construction of the Valve mechanism insures the quick and positive operation thereof, avoid.- ing the chance of the valves becoming inoperative through failure to open and close properly, thus increasing the efficiency of the device. -lln other words, in the path from the interior of the receptacle to the discharge means, it is apparent that the -fire-extinguishing fluid isalways interpo'sed between the fluid under pressure and said discharge means.

llt will also be noted that, no matter in What position the device may be/held, escape of the released gas through the discharge ,port 7 is prevented until practically all of the liquid in the receptacle has, been disv charmed therefrom.

l at Ifclaim is 1.` ln a fire-extinguishing device, in comhination, a receptacle for the fire-extinguishing fluid, said receptacle being provided with a discharge means adapted to direct said fluid in an unobstructed trajectory away from said receptacle, means within said reextinguishing-fluid,vsad last-named means being provided with an unobstructed passage for said fluid to said discharge means.

2. In a fire-exting'uishing device, in combination, a receptacle for the fire-extinguishing fluid, said receptacle being provided with a discharge means at one end thereof adapted to direct said fluid in an unobstructed trajectory awayfrom said receptacle, means with in said receptacle at the other end thereor for supplying fluid under pressure to said receptacle for forciblyejecting said fire-extinguishing fluid, means whereby said fluid under pressure is effective in all positions of the receptacle to discharge the' fire-extinguishing fluid, said last-named means being lprovided with an unobstructed passage for said fluid to said discharge means.

3. A fire extinguisher comprising' a hollow casing for fire extinguishing liquids provided With a nozzle at one end, a passage in said casing connected to said nozzle, a Valve for controlling the flow of liquid through said nozzle, means within said hollow casing for supplying compressed gas to the interior of said casing, and automatic means for` connecting said passage to whichever end of,

said casing is in lowermo-st position when it is being operated;

Signed at New York city, in the county and State of New York, ,this 30th day' of September, 1913.

PETER G. MACGREGOR.

Witnesses:

LEWIS J. Doonrrrnn, LUnLLA F. LrrrLE. 

